Boga has also signed a new three-year deal at Chelsea
Monday 28 August 2017 16:53, UK
Jeremie Boga has become the 28th Chelsea player currently out on loan after joining Birmingham until the end of the season.
The 20-year-old started in Chelsea's opening game of the Premier League season, a 3-2 defeat to Burnley, but was substituted after just 18 minutes following Gary Cahill's sending off.
Boga impressed during Chelsea's pre-season tour of Asia this summer and has penned a new three-year contract at Chelsea, but will now test himself in the Sky Bet Championship under Birmingham boss Harry Redknapp.
Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte last week defended his policy over young players, with the likes of Tammy Abraham, Izzy Brown and Kurt Zouma all departing on temporary deals immediately after signing long-term contracts at Stamford Bridge.
"If there are young players who deserve to play regularly and give me a good feeling, then why not [pick them]?" said Conte, who handed Paul Pogba his breakthrough at Juventus.
"I put Pogba, at 18, into the team, and for [Claudio] Marchisio. Not a 'simple' player. But you must have this type of possibility, [that these] players are ready to play with Chelsea, a great team, otherwise it's very difficult to make this decision."
Boga, an Ivory Coast international, has largely operated in the No 10 role for Chelsea's youth sides as well in loan spells at French side Rennes and Granada in Spain over the last two seasons.
The former France youth international becomes Redknapp's ninth signing of the summer transfer window.
